By Joginder Singh: The process of economic reforms has come to stay, and is moving forward. There is a political consensus on the issue. All the governments, since 1991 have followed the path, of economic liberalisation, despite differing ideologies.
The reform process promises to provide opportunities for rapid economic development. But at the same time, it has thrown open, new challenges, which can only be met with foresight, sagacity, pro-active policies and co-operation of all segments of society.
The Government of India, declared the year 2001, as the year of e-governance. E-governance means E- Management. It is the application of information technology in various government activities, so that citizens can get better services.
With the focus on e-governance, many State governments, as well as other organisations, business and industry have taken up this challenge very seriously.
It will induce a healthy competition among them, both in competing with each other and excelling. Our country’s head is in the 21st century.
But the tail is in the 18th century. The progress and development has not been uniform, in all states, areas and sectors. There are many speeds in India.
E- Management. Progress in IT sector, provides an opportunity to make our country a modern country, in tune with our desire to be in the vanguard in the 21st century.
E- Management, is ultimately, the use of computers and fast communications. E- communications, is vital for E-management. That is why, the present policies, which have led to the easy and cheap availability of computers and lap tops are designed, to encourage making e- management and e-governance an operational reality. For a better e-management, Computer density, Connectivity, Content, Cyber laws, Cost and Common sense are vital.
As far as, computer density is concerned, the Government of India’s policies have now made computers more easily affordable.
The second important aspect is connectivity. The telecommunication policies have been encouraging the private sector to avail of the opportunities, by which companies in the private sector, as well as government organisations like Railways, Power Grid and Electricity Boards can provide, the bandwidth needed, in the form of optic fibre networks.
Connectivity has already taken a quantum jump in.
So far as the content is concerned, it is for the E- Managers to use the opportunity imaginatively and take advantage of the present scenario, for a quicker and better management as well as commerce and trade.
The fourth is cyber laws. Our country is the second in Asia and twelfth in the world, to have a separate Information Technology Act. This will a long way in ensuring, that the shift from paper based management to e-management, is not stymied, because of the lack of legal framework. However, it is still to be seen, that the Act is not used, as the thin end of the wedge to introduce the Raj Of E- Inspectors.
At present, there are 65 Inspectors, visiting any manufacturing concern. The fifth is cost. IT based solutions and E- Management has become affordable, as can be seen from the fall of communication rates. Common sense is something, which the industrial managers have to apply for furthering E- Management.
The beginning of the 21 st century has been so much dominated by the E factor, that perhaps, our very existence itself, is on the way to becoming e- existence. It is, no wonder, that everybody is interested in E- Commerce, E- Management and E-governance. There is a lot commonality, between information technology and E- Management and E-governance. And E- Management.
E-governance involves processing a lot of information. It is also about ensuring, that decisions taken are fair ,objective and in the interest of the organisation. Red tape is caused, as the Government, has to keep records. Accessing of records become a problem.
If any system, whether in the private sector or Government is based on paper, as most of the systems now are, the time taken to access information is very high. It is possible to reduce the time, by using intelligent systems. But as long as precedents, have to be traced, and access to information is based on files, there is bound to be delay.
On the other hand, E- Management, particularly computers and communication are designed for speedy processing, of massive data.. Information retrieval is almost instantaneous. The E- Management is the answer to some of the perennial problems and complaints about delay and slow response.
Andhra Pradesh has propounded the concept of smart government. The smart government means Small, Moral, Accountable, Responsive and Transparent government. The question before us is, that if the application of E- Management in government functions can lead to better governance and also smart governance, why it has not been embraced immediately by the E- management experts? If a smart government, can be had through intelligent application. of E- management, there is a better reason, to believe that its application in Human Resources Development (HRD) and E- Management can lead to outstanding results.
With the computerisation of railway reservation system and with the same staff, nearly double the work is now handled. With the application of E- management, it is possible to both check and control corruption. Today, corruption has become a national menace.
The Transparency International in its Report of 2’007 mentions that so far as Corruption Perception Index is concerned India ranks 83rd most corrupt country in the world..
Corruption is flourishing in the country because of - scarcity of goods and services; lack of transparency; complicated rules and red tape. All these factors encourage corruption. People have to pay speed money to get, what is legally due, to them.
There are a lot legal cushions, of safety available for the corrupt.
Our law assumes that everybody is innocent till proved guilty. In any case there is a lot of empathy, tribalism or biradari between the corrupt. There is a proverb, of people, being thick as thief. Nobody talks, about honest people, being as thick, as honest . It is a logical conclusion, that E- management both in the Government and private sector, can check corruption and bring about efficiency.
Only time and insistence can force E- Management. E- management cannot be in isolation without inputs. If there are no inputs, naturally no E- Management is possible. However, the corrupt, can always demand a price, for inputting the data.
Once the information is on line, it ceases to be anybody’s empire. Mobile information can escape, both the office and official boundaries. Procedural delays, lethargy, inefficiency, lack of prompt decision making and decision implementation, is the breeding grounds of corruption.
With a wise use of information technology, one can speed up all processes, deliver prompt goods and service. This applies as much to the private sector as to the Government sector. To a great extent it is possible to reduce corruption, by adopting E- Management approach. E- Management will increase the velocity and volume of business. It will make the management, more effective, as the scope for greasing or extracting speed money, will be greatly reduced, if not altogether eliminated.
The E- management can also eliminate corruption by making available rules, laws, and court decisions available to the general public. Using E- Management will make the government accessible, at your door step and more transparency.
Transparency will lead to greater accountability.
Combined with a Freedom of Information Act, it will be useful, to put all government orders, on the web-site. Further extension of E- Management, should lead, to the setting up, Government run information kiosks, from where government offices can be easily accessed. Responsiveness of the Government, is bound to increase, because of greater accessibility and accountability. It will also induce a greater sense of responsibility.
United National Conference on Information Technology Laws (UNCITRAL) has indicated a basic framework of certain definition of what constitutes for example digital signature and cyber crimes.
The Indian IT Act is based on the UNCITRAL.
The increasing application of E- Management, in practically every aspect of the economy, including banking should be encouraged, as it will lead to increased business, greater customer satisfaction, as well as, new opportunities for business.
Information Technology Act, recognises the offences that could be committed in the present era, of information technology. Chapter XI identifies the crimes, which are relevant for the banking’ sector.. These are - Tampering with Computer source documents (Section 65); Breach of confidentiality and Privacy (Section 72); Publishing false digital signature certificate (Section 73) and Publication of digital signature for fraudulent purposes (Section 74).
An important feature, of the I.T. Act 2000, under which E- management comes, is the recognition of the borderless nature of the world of the new knowledge economy.
Section 75 provides that the Act will apply for offences or contraventions committed outside India also. This is an important provision from the legal point of view. All management has money angle and this section gives protection to the banking industry, or for anybody connected with the e- management or commerce.
How this provision can be reconciled with the concept of sovereignty of nations, is still an open issue? At present only a beginning to make e- management and governance, has been made to make a reality in India. If sincerely implemented, it will lay the foundations for a better future and a better country. But a half hearted or a half baked approach would not do.
It is time to go full throttle so that the country moves at the speed of a fast car and not a bullock cart. It is time for our country to take up the challenge head long. However there is a word of caution using of mobile banks, credit cards, financial transaction on the internet has led to a spate of crime.
I am quoting only a few instance reported in our country, which should be in the nature of a wake up call to the readers.
A 21-year-old graduate applied for a credit card and basked in the glory and boasting of having acquired her first card. But there is shock in store for her. A couple of days later, she receives her statement and to her horror there has been a spend of Rs 50,000 when she had not even used her card once! This is what your credit card can cost, when your identity is stolen.
Identity theft or hijacking, as it is sometimes called, is a crime wherein an impostor obtains important personal information like the credit card number and its pass word and bank account. By intelligently using it the fraudster, can get credit, buy things and services in the name of the victim.
Besides running up a huge debt, an impostor might give false identification to the police, creating a criminal record or leaving outstanding arrest warrants for the person whose identity has been stolen.
Hacking into the database of a financial institution with the aim of transferring money into your account. It is also ID theft. ID thefts in India is that it is a fertile ground for crime. With no strict law enforcement it becomes easy for the thieves.
The fact that the quantum of punishment involved is less, adds to the problems.” According to NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau), 481 instances of cyber crime were reported in 2005 as compared to 347 in 2004 and 471 in 2003. These crimes were registered under the Information Technology Act 2000 and the IPC.
Cyber fraud accounted for 61.6 per cent and cyber forgery for 15.9 per cent in 2007. The Central Bureau of Investigation registered nine cases till July 31, 2007 as compared to three in 2006, four in 2004 and only one in 2003.
It is spreading at an alarming speed in our country. A whopping 90 per cent accounts, for identity theft, The recent terrorist attacks have heightened concerns regarding identity protection. With the existence of a nexus between the terrorists and an outsourcing industry, it is becoming easier to don the identity of another person for carrying out illegal activities.
Cyber terrorism and ID theft are sisters. With terrorists needing more money to carry out their activities, ID theft is an easy way out. If the quantum of punishment was increased to a minimum of seven years and damages via compensation in case the culprit is caught, it would go a long way in controlling the situation. At present it is three-year imprisonment with a fine of Rs 2 lakh.
In 2006, an HSBC bank employee was arrested in Bangalore in connection with a scam. He had taken more than £2,00,000 from a UK bank’s customers.
The worker was accused of hacking the computer system and accessing ‘personal, security and debit card information’, which was passed on to associates involved in the fraud. The employee, had been involved in the theft of £2,33,000 from the accounts of 20 customers.
The breach of security was reported to have been brought to light by UK customers who complained that money had been transferred from their accounts without their knowledge.
With increased use of Internet and telephone banking, information can be used to steal money from customers and also commit ID frauds. In many instances, fraudsters siphon off small cash from a large number of people who would not notice it.
Almost everybody is unsafe, as more and more data fraud cases are making international headlines.
A recent US Federal Trade Commission study suggests that identity theft doubled in the past year as nearly 10 million Americans have been victims of identity takeover. On an average, this costs individual victims $500 each and businesses an estimated $48 billion a year.
Whatever Government may do, it is for each individual to safe guard his own interests. A conservative person like me, does not use internet banking or even the credit cards. There is no protection against an electronic thief. He may be caught and punished, but it does not help you, if you have lost all your life’s saving
--- PTI
